Fire and Rain by David Browne

Subtitled The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY and the Lost Story of 1970 this book has a title that is a mouthful.

Browne traces us through some of the history of 1970 but mostly focuses on this as being a pivotal year in popular music. The breakup of the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel disintegration and the rocket that was CSNY and then the flame out just as quick. James Taylor's second album Sweet Baby James owned the charts.

This book does not divulge much new information to any who have read any materials on this time before. We do learn how Rita Coolidge had relationships with multiple members of CNSY and how Joni Mitchell broke Graham Nash's heart only to move onto the drug addled James Taylor. We learn more about Taylor's history of mental problems and more than we would like to know about his drug issues that almost destroyed him.

Stephen Stills comes across as an abrasive personality and we see the final breakup of the Beatles which rightly or wrongly is again portrayed as Paul against the rest.

This book is not a revalation but it is a nice little timepiece for the year. Surprisingly so we learn how much Charlie Daniels was a part of the Rock and Roll Scene in that time frame. As a popular session musician he played for Bob Dylan, George Harrison and others. In fact he was even asked, assumingly jokingly by Harrison to join the band as they were down a bass player.

An enjoyable read but you will not leave it thinking better of any of these flawed people who happened to have immense talent musically.